Senior Member

The expression means that the person has just learned something surprising, possibly contrary to what they had ever believed or what they believed would happen. For example, if your sister bet one thousand dollars that a 100-year old woman with arthritis would win a marathon, and the woman actually won, you might respond with "paint me purple and call me Barney" or another one of the phrases you mentioned. Just in case you are unaware (I don't mean to be insulting), Barney is a purple dinosaur from a children's television program.

I don't know exactly where the phrases originated, but I have a guess. If your sister told you before the race that she had put one thousand dollars on an old woman, you might tell her "If she wins, then my name isn't Bob" (given that your name is Bob). This expression implies that the chance of the woman winning is as great as you having mistaken your name your entire life. Thus, when she actually wins, you might say "paint me purple and call me Barney," as if saying now that she won, your name must be wrong as well.

New Member

It basically means, "No way!" or "That's amazing!" or "Oh my God, really?!"
I believe it originated from Southern American slang from just looking at it.
It probably was used since you can't really "butter your butt" (haha) and call yourself a biscuit, neither can you roll yourself in corn-flour and call yourself dinner, nor paint your purple and call yourself Barney.
All of these are not possible, which is why it means, "You're kidding!"

Senior Member

I know we've had at least one lengthy discussion on this type of exclamation in recent times, but I can't remember its title (nor the title of the earlier thread to which that recent thread was referred). Any old-thread-finding-experts around?

Senior Member

Yep, it can be used where you would say "You gotta be kidding me." However, remember that, just like "you gotta be kidding me," the phrases don't necessarily imply a denial or overwhelming disbelief, but rather simply shock at what has occurred.

Senior Member

It basically means, "No way!" or "That's amazing!" or "Oh my God, really?!"
I believe it originated from Southern American slang from just looking at it.
It probably was used since you can't really "butter your butt" (haha) and call yourself a biscuit, neither can you roll yourself in corn-flour and call yourself dinner, nor paint your purple and call yourself Barney.
All of these are not possible, which is why it means, "You're kidding!"

Senior Member

Hmm. To me, "you gotta be kidding me" is something you say when you are unhappy about some surprising thing, for example: We've been planning this trip for months - all the accommodation is booked - and now you're telling me you don't want to come? You('ve) gotta be kidding me!"

These kinds of playful expressions don't have that kind of negative implication, so to me they're more similar to things like "Wow!", "That's absolutely amazing!" and "I'm absolutely astonished!"

post mod (English Only / Latin)

I know we've had at least one lengthy discussion on this type of exclamation in recent times, but I can't remember its title (nor the title of the earlier thread to which that recent thread was referred).